The new era for the Chicago Sky will be delayed for at least another month after No. 3 WNBA draft pick Kamilla Cardoso suffered a shoulder injury in Friday’s preseason game.
Cardoso exited her preseason debut after taking a hard fall, although the team has not indicated whether that incident was the source of the injury. She will be sidelined for the next four to six weeks and then undergo re-evaluation.
Coach Teresa Weatherspoon declined to specify the nature of Cardoso’s injury, but she expressed frustration over the early roadblock for the rookie to make her debut.
“She was playing extremely well and it’s an unfortunate situation that we’re having to deal with,” Weatherspoon said. “But we’re going to deal with it in the right way. We’ve been told four to six weeks, but she’s a pretty tough young lady so it could very well be before that. She’s working hard.”
Injury rehabilitation is already an isolating experience for athletes. For a rookie like Cardoso, Weatherspoon is well aware of how overwhelming the next two months might feel. Cardoso stayed on the bench with her teammates for Tuesday’s preseason matchup against the New York Liberty and could travel with the team for the regular season.
Regardless of the length of her absence, Weatherspoon has one focus for Cardoso: keeping the rookie engaged with the team when she can’t be on the court.
“Not being able to perform, it can kind of be heavy on you,” Weatherspoon said. “And she’s one who wants to play. She wants to play and she has the heart of a lion. She’s an amazing young lady, an amazing player. And we will never make her feel that way. We don’t want her to feel that way. She’s a huge part of our success.”
No. 13 draft pick Brynna Maxwell also suffered a knee injury in the preseason that will sideline her for the first three to four weeks of her rookie season. No. 7 draft pick Angel Reese is the lone rookie available for the Sky during Tuesday night’s preseason game against the New York Liberty. The team begins the regular season May 15 on the road against the Dallas Wings.
